It took about seven hours, including carrying stuff over to the other unit across town to make room for the new station table. It is 33 inches wide, 70 inches long, and comes up to about 28" from the floor. The door is a solid core type, skinned with Luan Mahogany. To prevent the skin from ripping while sawing, I laid a piece of plywood over the cut area, and sawed through. The entire table frame is made of 1 x 4, paired to have the thickness of a 2 x 4. I like this idea because it leave a lot of room for making mortises. I not only screwed the pairs of 1 x 4 together, I also glued them. The table is insanely strong! It needs to be. It's gonna carry the Boatanchors!
The next few shots are a progressive show and tell. I took photos as I went, in case someone might like some ideas for their own Boatanchor Table. Here we go:
The door was 80 inches in length. I didn't have the room for that, but I could accommodate 70 inches. Thus, we had to take out the circular saw.
Solid Core doors have a thick wooden edge, but the centers are usually filled with fibre, sometimes loose enough to scoop some out to replace the wooden "plug" that was sawn off. In my case, it was a particle board fillers. I was rather glad for that, because I could just screw 'n glue a new edge onto the kerf end of the table!
The first thing I did was box in the support frame upon which the table would actually rest. This I made atop the door itself. I guess you might say this door was earning it's keep as a work table before I even built the work table!
My world revolves around C-clamps! Here, the table leg is both glued and screwed together. Now, where the legs screw onto the upper frame itself, I only screwed. This is because I want to have the ability, should I need it, to remove the legs for transit.
Mounting the braces. These will also serve as a support for a ply shelf beneath the table, should I choose to do so. The front does not have a bracket as the back: the reason is that this table will actually be a desk.
I am clamping, gluing and screwing on the last piece, the center support bracket. The lumber used is construction grade, the warping was atrocious! These brackets helped to torsion the wood back into proper line.
A close up of the lap mortise, again, clamped, glued and screwed. Btw, this table came out perfectly level. I attribute this to the support brackets literally forcing a straight line.
The center bracket required that I bring out my trusty pipe clamps. With the frame clamped to the table, the pipe clamp slowly brought the sides into positive pressure against the glued ends of the center bracket. The table top would lay straight.
There she is! Ain't she perdy? I love the look of Mahogany! Even if its a door. Oh, you can see the treatment as the sawed edge, or the "kerf side" of the door.
Another aspect of the table. When the time comes where I need the lower shelves, I may make a drawer unit instead of a plywood shelf. Just a thot!
By the time the sun went down, I was able to maneuver first the frame, then the table top into the shop. But before I could do that, I had to dismantle my old computer table, the place of which this table is taking. Nice to have something like room! It's been a long time since I had an operating table like this. Check out the "Key Garage". I have a place for my log, and my small collection of keys! Oh, and the headsets, too.
Here is a more comprehensive shot of the table. The rigs seem to like it. Oh, and introducing them, from left to right: Yaesu FT-101EE, setting atop a Dentron MT-3000A tuner. Next to it, a Hammarlund HQ-170. Setting atop it is an Art Deco electric clock from 1939. Next is the Gonset GSB-100. And finally, a Tombstone Broadcast receiver. And just what is that parked around that clock??
Why, it's Dilbert, Alice, and the Pointy Haired Boss! Looks like Dilbert has the "doe in the headlights" look this eventing. These guys have been staffing my stations for years, I am not about to lay them off now! Dilbert remains still one of my fav reasons for reading a Newspaper. Also, did you know he is a Ham? Yup. Scott Adams, the artist/ author has him passing his exam. Congratulations, Dilbert! You have a higher class license than I !!
Well, Mission accomplished! Next to come: Home Brew Radio and Novice Rig Round-up!!
Stay tuned!
de wd4nka
-gary.
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